Fortune of the Arch
by Spotsylvania
Summary: Joan of Arc finds herself on the verge of being executed as her trial is wrapping up in late May of 1431. There is seemingly no hope for her at all, but an impossible turn of events may change history. FBI agent Claudian North is called upon to investigate strange happenings around the Arch in St. Louis, but he finds himself plunged back in time. Can he save Joan from the stake?
1. Chapter 1

Fortune of the Arch

FBI Agent Claudian North lived in St. Louis, Missouri in an apartment not far from Busch Stadium, and investigated whatever his superiors wanted him to in the region.

He was sitting at his desk in the early afternoon when his boss, Special Agent Williams, came to him with a new assignment, "Claudian, we've received a few reports of some weird sightings around the Gateway Arch. People in odd clothing, swordfights, that sort of thing. The staties aren't really sure what to make of it, so they want us to investigate. Do you think you can go out this afternoon and take a look? It's probably nothing, but at least it'll give you something to do other than paperwork the rest of the day."

Claudian nodded, "Yeah sure. I'll go right now. Sounds kind of interesting."

"Great, just file a report with me anytime tomorrow so we can put a lid on this thing. See you tomorrow," his boss was pleased.

"Will do. Have a good rest of the day," Agent North got up to leave.

He approached the Arch and saw nothing out of the ordinary, just the regular line of tourists waiting to see it. The agent interviewed some members of the staff who had supposedly witnessed some of the incidents. He spent time into the night before concluding that there was nothing further to go on. At this point, the Arch had been closed and Agent North was the only person still around.

"This was nothing but a waste of time. I'm going to give the staties a phone call tomorrow," he muttered to himself as he started to walk back to his car.

As he approached his car, he saw a brilliant yellow light reflected from the windshield. Turning around, he saw the source of the light well beyond the Arch. Curious, Claudian walked under the Arch. Instead of approaching the Mississippi River, he found himself surrounded by buildings with seemingly medieval architecture, "I must be seeing things…"

He shut his eyes and opened them again. The same environment was there. He tried walking back, but he found that nothing happened. Feeling a bit uneasy, he kept walking forward until he saw a building with a crowd of people outside.

Inching his way inside the crowd, he was at a complete loss for words, "What in the hell is going on here? Is my mind going crazy or is this really happening?"

Claudian decided to ask one of the people a question, "Excuse me sir, could you be so kind as to tell me what's going on inside?"

The man, dressed in simple medieval attire, answered with seemingly rotted teeth, "The Frenchwoman Jehanne D'Arc is on trial in there for heresy and witchcraft. It's supposed to be very close to ending." The FBI agent gulped as he thought to himself, "Did he just say Joan of Arc? Did I somehow end up in 1431 Rouen, France? No, that can't be right."

He pushed his way inside the huge building and managed to sneak into a room filled with clerics surrounding a shaken, but resolute teenage girl with black hair and dressed in male attire. "No, it can't be. Is that Joan of Arc?!" the thought screamed in Claudian's head.

Some of the clerics turned to see the FBI agent, unusually dressed for the time period with a dress shirt, pants, and a sport coat with a badge pinned to his belt. Even Joan herself turned to look at the stranger. "What? I'm just here to observe the proceedings. Down with the heretic!" he feigned sympathy for the clerics.

Some of them smiled and seemed receptive to him taking a seat in the back, while Joan looked disappointed. Now that the attention was off him, he had time to think, "If this is real, do I have some purpose? Should I try and save her?" These questions posed a real dilemma for the thirty-two year old agent.

He listened to several hours of incessant grilling by a couple of figures he recognized from history books, Pierre Cauchon and Jean D'Estivet. He looked into her face and saw the resolution to not back down from her faith and belief in France's freedom, but the fear in knowing that she could be burned to death. From the questioning, he picked up that the date was May 28, 1431. She would be burned at the stake two days later. Near the end of the questioning, Joan saw Adam looking at her. She continued to stare at the newcomer, trying to figure out what his situation was before she was led away in chains back to her cell in a castle tower. After much thought, he decided to try and save her. How he would do it was a mystery to him.


	2. Chapter 2

Claudian waited until nightfall to sneak into one of the rooms a cleric was staying in and stole his attire that was draped over a bedpost. Assuming that identity, he was able to get past the guards to the tower and was allowed to enter Joan's cell.

The young woman turned around as the door closed and seemed a little frightened, "What do you want of me? I have already subjected myself to all of your haranguing."

The FBI agent lowered his hood, "Hello Joan, my name is Claudian North, and I'm not a cleric."

She squinted at him, "Yes, I remember you from earlier today. You condemned me to the others. How nice…"

"I only did that so I could stay and watch. I have an ulterior motive, which is to save you from being burnt," he replied.

"Oh, and why should I believe you? No one here is my friend. I have been abandoned here to die…" she seemed on the verge of tears.

"Look, I can't explain how I got here, but I want to help you. I can save your life and help you escape from here, but only if you let me. I don't know how, but I will come up with a plan. Do you trust me to do that?" the agent looked closely into her eyes.

Joan knew she was going to be executed very soon, so it couldn't hurt to take a chance, even if was a slim one, "There is no other alternative for me, so I guess I have no choice…"

Claudian nodded, "Good, I'll be back tomorrow night with a plan. Stay strong…" He put his hand on her shoulder consolingly.

She managed a meek smile as he went to leave, "Thank you, Claudian…"

The FBI agent turned on his phone, surprised that it actually worked, and tried to place a call to his superior.

Agent Williams picked up the phone, "Hello, Claudian?"

"Yeah, it's me. It turns out there was a lot more to that Arch report than we thought…" North remarked. After a very long conversation involving the use of cell phone video and pictures, Agent North was at last able to convince his boss of what was really happening, "Okay, so you want to rescue Joan of Arc. Do you have any idea how you're going to do so?"

"If you can assemble a SWAT team to provide a distraction once the execution gets under way, then I'll be able to grab her and bring her back with us," Claudian explained.

"Can we even get into this world you're in?" Williams asked.

"I don't know, but it's worth a shot," his subordinate said.

"I suppose so, but this is going to be tricky…"

"I'll let you know when to have them in position?" "Alright, but I hope this thing doesn't backfire. The last thing I need is grief from the brass in Washington. Good luck, Claudian…" Agent Williams ended the phone call.

Claudian looked up at the night sky alone in his thoughts, _I have the chance to change history. To save Joan of Arc from a grisly death…_

Under the cover of darkness and with a small pocket light he carried with him, he carefully scouted the area around the tower where Joan was being held. He saw the stake built up over Rouen's market square. With a shudder, he inspected it very closely before resuming his intelligence gathering. After a few hours, his mind began working out a plan…

As daylight broke on May 29th, Joan of Arc was getting what sleep she could being chained up. The clerics had threatened her with death if she didn't confess to being a heretic and a witch, and it scared her to the core. Beneath her strong, resolute exterior was a girl who felt lonely and vulnerable. Even her unwavering devotion in God had started to falter, but there was hope... If this stranger really meant what he said, then maybe he was God's answer to her prayers for salvation. She struggled to get up with her chains and half-starved body resisting her every step of the way...

Claudian carefully penciled a plan from the information he gathered. He drew out where the SWAT team should form based on the disposition of the English troops guarding the building where the trial was. The agent also figured that he would be dressed as a cleric in the front of the crowd witnessing Joan's execution the next day. Once the SWAT unit showed up, he would be able to get through the line of distracted British soldiers and take out the executioner with a well-placed gunshot. He would then cut her bonds and release her into his arms. After that, well, it was risky. Getting through a crowd driven into chaos with an uncertain chance of getting back to the present would be a very tough task, but he would try.

Meanwhile, Agent Williams was calling in all sorts of favors to assemble the SWAT team of around twenty five FBI agents for a vague undertaking. It took him all day and most of the night, but he had his crack team ready at last with state-of-the-art weapons and body armor. He kept the briefing short and omitted the real name of the target they were tasked with helping to rescue. Once dawn hit, he led the team to the Arch.

Joan spent the entirety of May 29 being tormented again by the clergy. D'Estivet and Cauchon were merciless in interrogating and chastising her, but she saw Claudian in the courtroom and was resolute in her answers. She refused to confess that she was a heretic and even took a more defiant tone with her accusers.

In response to Cauchon ridiculing her as a witch sent to do the devil's work, she decided to give him a taste of his own medicine, "If anyone is the devil, it is you, Cauchon! There is no sin on my hands for leading my countrymen against the English invaders in this land. My King may have turned his back on me, but God has not. You think I will burn in the flames? No, you and your band of persecutors will meet your demise in due time!"

The bishop of Beauvais was livid at this reply, "How dare you! I will not be spoken to this way by a whore heretic. You have condemned yourself, Jeanne D'Arc! Your pain will be eternal and your suffering will be severe. The stake will see to that! You wear men's clothing and pretend to hear the voices of God and his saints, but you are only a deluded girl who has betrayed the Catholic Church." Joan looked over at Claudian discreetly while Cauchon had his back turned and drew strength from his presence. She retorted in broken English, "The only ones who have betrayed the Church are you and your puppets. You say this is about heresy and witchcraft, but the only reason I'm here is because the English put you up to it. They can't handle the fact that they were beaten in battle by a woman!"

Her inquisitor was even more enraged, if that was even possible, but she could see the surprise in his eyes, "I assure you, cursed witch, that is not the case. You have violated God's creed against heresy and magic, and have no doubt used your sexual prowess to influence the course of events!"

"And how could I do that if I'm a virgin, which your so-called trial has proven?" she replied matter-of-factly.

"Enough of this! We will adjourn to decide our verdict and your fate. Guards, take her back to her cell!" the bishop had heard enough at this point.

As Joan was roughly led in chains back to her tiny cell in the castle tower, she saw Claudian smile ever so slightly at her. She could only hope he was being truthful about her rescue as she was locked in her tiny cell again.

While the council of clerics were deliberating on Joan's fate, Claudian found a secluded spot outside in the early nighttime and placed a call to his boss.

"Hey there, how's everything playing out? Is your disguise still intact," Special Agent Williams asked. "Very much so, although I had to tie up the cleric I stole it from so he wouldn't reveal me. Cauchon and his stooges are deliberating right now, although we both know what the outcome will be..." Agent North replied grimly.

"The SWAT team will be in position under the Arch in a few hours, well before dawn. I won't tell you how many favors I had to call in for assembling them for no apparent reason, at least one that was believable. Just remember, if this raid fails, it's both of us getting shitcanned..." his superior warned him.

"And if it works, you'll be the darling of the entire federal government. Think of what something like this would do for your reputation," Claudian teased the potential benefits of the raid.

"Let's hope so, for your sake and mine. That's if we don't get killed doing this... Anyway, text us as a signal when you want us to go in, if we can," Williams wrapped up the conversation.

"Will do," Claudian agreed as he shut off his phone.

"Who were you talking to?" a voice in garbled English came from behind him.

North turned around to see Jean D'Estivet standing in front of him.

"Nobody. Talking to myself keeps me sane and the devil away," he answered.

"For a French cleric, you seem to speak English very well. Are you sure of your allegiance?" D'Estivet was growing suspicious.

"I grew up in England for a good portion of my childhood," Claudian put on his best English accent. The French cleric seemed to buy it, "Well, as long as we're devoted to the same cause. Seeing the heretic Joan burn tomorrow morning."

"Oh, are the deliberations over already?" North asked.

"Yes, we're going to tell the witch about it. She's going to the stake at dawn," D'Estivet told him.

"Such a cruel way for someone to die..." the disguised FBI agent shook his head.

"We do what we have to do..." the cleric turned around and went back into the court building.

Claudian soon followed and sat down one of the benches. He saw Joan brought back in to hear her fate.

The Maid of Orleans saw the FBI agent sitting on the bench. He slowly nodded his head when he saw her gaze. Even though she knew what the verdict would be, she was still very nervous.

Cauchon started off the proceedings, "You, Joan of Arc, have been found guilty of heresy. The sentence is death by burning at the stake. Have you anything to say for yourself?"

Joan was shaking at facing such a gruesome death, but she drew strength from Claudian's presence, "If I die, Bishop, it is by your hand! Not mine."

Cauchon laughed, "If you die? You mean when you die. Once dawn comes, you will meet your Maker!"

"We'll see about that, asshole..." she cursed for the first time.

Claudian thought his hearing had gone haywire for a second. Had he just heard the saintly Joan of Arc swear?! Maybe some of his rough mannerisms had rubbed off on her. He smiled as the Bishop of Beauvais became hopping mad and ordered the guards to take her back to her cell.

Claudian waited until well into the night to visit Joan in the tower again. The guards still let him through, so he knew his disguise was still intact. He was allowed inside the dank cell and saw Joan lying down. He could tell she wasn't sleeping and sat down next to her.

She looked over at him, "I knew they would sentence me to burn, but it was still gut-wrenching to hear it said. Out of all the things I fear, fire is the worst one. The thought of being slowly burned to death is agonizing..."

He put his hand on her shoulder, "With a little bit of luck, that won't happen..."

Joan shivered from the cold, "You're the only person who's shown me any compassion in a very long time. Why?"

"It's a very long story, and I'll tell you about it when we're in a safe place," Claudian reassured her. "Are you taking me back to Domremy, or perhaps Orleans?"

"Joan, where I'm taking you is a place you've never been before. A country unfamiliar to you... Across the Atlantic Ocean is a large nation called the United States, made up of places called, well, states. The particular state I live in is Missouri, in the city of St. Louis.

A tinge of curiosity colored her face, "But why go by ship all that way? France is my home..."

Claudian sighed. He knew he had to tell her the complicated truth behind his arrival, "This will be hard to believe, but I am from a different time in history. Somehow, I ended up here from my home in St. Louis and the year 2013. This place we're in, it's only a temporary rift in time. Once I get you out of here, I suspect this world will cease to exist and 2013 will be the only existing time..."

Joan looked at him with a mixture of shock and weariness. The tale this stranger told didn't make any sense, but then again, what did it matter if he saved her life? "And the people here think I'm crazy... Even if by some miracle your story is true, how did you get here?"

"There were reports of strange sightings around the Gateway Arch, which is a large structure bordering a river. I was sent to investigate, and that's how I ended up here," he shrugged.

"Do you think it was possible you were sent to save me?" Joan asked him.

"It's possible, but I'm not going to dwell on why I was sent. The more important thing is getting you out of here and safely into St. Louis," Claudian answered her.

"What's it like, you know, in the future?" she suspended her disbelief a little.

"It's far more civilized than here, I can assure you. People are much more peaceable and comfortable with themselves. We have different modes of transportation, communication, that sort of thing. I think you would like it," he told her.

"I hope you're telling me the truth about that. Either way, it's better than getting burnt alive," the Maid of Orleans concluded.

"That's true. I hate to damper things, but I must leave you now and make preparations for the dawn raid-" Agent North said before Joan interrupted him.

"Wait, what is the plan exactly?" she inquired.

Claudian spoke in a low whisper, "Once the executioner lights the fire and the crowd is sufficiently distracted, the people helping me will make a show of force with special weaponry. The English soldiers will be focusing on them while I go around behind the platform and cut you down from the stake. My team will keep the English occupied long enough for us to escape. I won't lie to you, there is great risk involved in this plan. But if it works, then you'll have a new lease on life."

"Isn't it dangerous to wait until they light the fire. I don't want to die..." a frightened Joan protested.

"It will take the fire a long time to get to you with the type of stake they created. We'll have plenty of time," he reassured her.

"I hope so... My life depends on you," she looked down.

"Joan, this will work. Stay strong..." he patted her on the shoulder as he left Joan.

She was alone in her thoughts before she at last drifted off to sleep.

The SWAT team under Special Agent Frederick Williams was in position under the Arch about thirty minutes before dawn. They were at the ready with full riot gear, body armor, and rifles. All they needed was the order...


	3. Chapter 3

The crowd in Rouen's market square was growing ever larger as the time got closer to sunrise. A couple hundred English soldiers surrounded the place where Joan would be burned alive. Claudian had taken a place at the front of the crowd, a position afforded him by his clergy disguise. He knew very well what was at stake. It was a chance to save France's ultimate heroine, St. Joan of Arc, from her tragic fate. Agent North patiently waited as the sun came up on May 30, 1431.

Joan woke up shortly before dawn and was violently escorted by several guards into the market square. The huge crowd of hostile onlookers taunted her as she was led to the stake. The Maid's half-starved and dirty frame was tied high on the stake, with a rather large pile of wood sitting at the bottom. She looked for Claudian, and saw him in the front center of the crowd. He noticed her and slightly nodded his head. The poor girl was trembling as she saw the executioner light the wood pile while her tormentors watched. The flames continued to burn for half an hour, getting dangerously close to Joan's feet.

Her thoughts ran amok. Why was Claudian not doing anything? Had he abandoned her? The heat was becoming more intense and intolerable, enough so that she screamed in desperation, "Jesus! Jesus! What have I done to deserve this?!"

Claudian reacted instantly to her words, taking it as a cue that the crowd would be even more focused on the execution and not on him. He carefully took out his cell phone, hiding it under his robe. The agent texted just one word to his superior...

Agent Williams felt his phone vibrate and quickly looked at it. The word "Go" shined clearly in the early morning sunlight.

"Alright guys, let's move out!" he ordered the SWAT team. They moved firmly under the Arch in a wide line, and disappeared in a blinding flash of light.

Joan could faintly see the well-armed FBI agents appear out of nowhere near the back of the market square. Many in the crowd turned to look at them, curiosity about these weird-looking strangers getting the better of them.

Claudian noticed some of the English soldiers focusing on the newcomers as well, enough so that he could sneak around behind the place of execution and move within feet of the more lightly-guarded rear. Soon, he heard Agent Williams' booming voice greet the crowd, "Sorry to disturb you, ladies and gentlemen, but we come for a very simple reason."

The soldiers at the rear began to move away and towards the front of the stake to prepare to confront the SWAT team. Agent North seized on this opportunity to run up to the platform.

Joan looked down at him, "Oh thank God..."

"Shhh... I need to cut these ropes," he took out his knife and began working on her bonds. He was making real progress when a few soldiers came up to him and tried to restrain him. He shot them with his pistol and furiously hacked away at the ropes.

As more and more English soldiers were alerted to the rescue attempt and ran to stop him, he was able to cut enough of the rope to get Joan loose. He continued shooting down the soldiers and wrenched the Maid away from the stake with his other hand. At this point, furious gunfire could be heard coming from the square. The crowd was in chaos, people running every which way to get to safety as the FBI team defended itself against the advance of over two hundred English soldiers. Once Claudian had dispatched the soldiers sent to stop him, he carefully hoisted Joan and carried her to a nearby building.

"Can you walk?" he asked her.

"Yes, I think so," she stood up. She nearly stumbled to the ground, but her rescuer caught her. "Just hold on to me for support," he quickly said. Joan nodded as Claudian supported her with one arm.

They could hear English soldiers surrounding the building they were in.

Before they could attempt to leave, Cauchon and a few soldiers blocked their way.

The FBI agent pointed his gun at them, "Get out of the way, or I'll kill you where you stand!" "So you are the one who faked being a cleric? Clever, but not nearly enough. The witch will burn one way or another. Get them!" the bishop ordered the soldiers.

Joan closed her eyes in fear as three quick gunshots shattered the air.

She opened them to see the soldiers lying on the floor and Claudian staring down Cauchon, "I'll say it again. Move away or you're next..."

Joan's tormentor rushed at him only to be felled by another gunshot.

"Good riddance. The world is a better place without a scumbag like you in it," he stepped over Cauchon's body, "Let's go."

The Maid could not help but feel some satisfaction in seeing the bishop meet his maker as she gingerly walked over him. The pair got outside and made their way toward the SWAT team. By this time, most of the soldiers attacking had them had been killed or wounded, and the few others there were ran away.

Claudian could see Agent Williams waving in the distance, "That's our ticket home. You're safe now."

Joan smiled ever so slightly as she leaned on his arm, getting closer to safety. They finally reached the FBI team and got ready for the return to St. Louis.


End file.
